March 24, 1999
Web posted at: 5:19 p.m. EST (2219 GMT)

From CNN Correspondent Kate Snow

(CNN) - Even in your own home, tiny computers are hiding everywhere. Experts say the average household has about 50 microprocessors that help you cook, clean and communicate.

The good news is most of them are immune to the millennium bug. They simply don't care what day or year it is.

Syndicated columnist/computer expert Larry Magid says you don't need to worry about a regular stove or even a microwave. "They may have clocks but they don't have calendars in them. By and large most of the systems in the home will work just fine."

But some electronics may encounter trouble, particularly those that keep track of dates.

One of the products that could be affected is your VCR. So here's a way to test it. Set the clock to just before midnight, December 31, 1999 then wait 5 minutes and see what happens. If Saturday pops up, the unit knows it's the year 2000, but if it says Monday, it thinks it is 1900.

If your VCR is one of the confused models, don't despair; there is a quick fix for the problem.

On January 1, 2000, set your VCR's clock back to 1972. Like 2000, 1972 was a leap year that began on a Saturday. Set the year back and all the dates and days of the week will match up.

In most homes the obvious place to look for the millennium bug is the personal computer.

If you have an Apple Macintosh or use "Windows 98," you should be OK. However, "Windows 95" users may have some minor problems. Older computer operating systems like MS-DOS and "Windows 3.1" do not recognize that there is even a year 2000.

If you are concerned about your computer, VCR or other home electronics, many manufacturers have set up Web sites that can help. There are also software programs designed to identify and fix Y2K problems.

Your home may not escape the millennium bug completely, but there are ways to squash it before it does any real damage.